Accreditation period Units 1–4: 2024–2028
Unit 1
Outcome 1
Describe the nature of sociological inquiry and discuss youth as a social category.
Examples of learning activities
Detailed example
Using the sociological imagination
Students individually describe the person they are by using the sociological imagination and addressing Willis’ four interrelated facets of social phenomena: historical, cultural, structural and critical factors. Students consider the following:
- Historical factors – how have family background, key past events and experiences shaped the person you are?
- family background – size of family, type of family, settled or moved house or migrated from overseas
- key past events – birth of a sibling, death of a family member / friend, divorce of parents
- experiences – overseas trip, significant camp or holiday, sport, advice from a role model, religion
- Cultural factors – what role have cultural background, traditions and belief systems played in forming your opinions and influencing your behaviour?
- cultural background – the culture of your family and friends, whether or not you identify with the dominant Australian culture or another culture(s)
- traditions – family traditions and celebrations, other traditions you have incorporated from elsewhere
- belief system – religion, political ideology, political or social activism
- Structural factors – How have various social institutions influenced you?
- family, school, social media, religious organisations, government organisations (police, parliament, courts, social welfare, other) the economy
- Critical factors – in what ways have your values and opinions about what you consider important changed over time?
Outcome 2
Analyse the institution of family and the developments influencing the experience of family.
Examples of learning activities
Detailed example
Research report on the influence of government policy or government assistance on the experience of family
- In groups, use ICT to conduct research and collate findings on the intent, rate paid (if applicable), and impact on family of one of the following policies and assistance:
- Federal policies include but are not limited to:
- Newborn supplement
- Paid parental leave
- Family tax benefit
- Child care benefit
- Parenting payment
- Carer payment
- Educational support payments (for example: Youth allowance, Austudy, ABSTUDY, Assistance for isolated children).
- State government (Victoria) policies include but are not limited to:
- Baby bundle, Kinder kit, Book bag for preps
- Maternal and child health service
- Government positions on surrogacy, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and adoption for same-sex attracted parents.
- Following this research, evaluate the influence of your chosen policy or assistance on the experience of family, including how it could be improved, and what the likely consequences would be for recipients if it was withdrawn.
- Share and collate research and findings with the rest of the class to create a comprehensive reference document on the topic.
Unit 2
Outcome 1
Analyse a range of sociological theories explaining deviant behavior and the impact of moral panic on those considered deviant.
Examples of learning activities
Detailed example
Moral panic and the role of the media
In small groups, students research an example of moral panic from the list below or a more recent example.
- Artificial intelligence
- Social media trends (for example, Tide Pods Challenge, NyQuil Chicken)
- Killer clowns
- Violence in the city
- Youth gangs in Melbourne
- Cronulla riots.
Research the following points and present findings as a fact sheet:
- What was the initial incident that sparked the moral panic?
- How did the media cover the incident?
- What were some of the exaggerated claims made by the media?
- Who were the moral entrepreneurs?
- How did the media create folk devils in relation to this incident?
- Were there any real-world consequences of this moral panic? If so, describe.
- Compare the media reporting on the moral panic by three different media sources.
Evaluate:
- How the media covered the incident, including exaggerated claims and the creation of folk devils.
Consider:
- How might the media have reported on the incident differently to avoid creating a moral panic?
At the end of the activity, share findings and fact sheets with the class. This could be in the form of an infographic.
Outcome 2
Discuss crime in Australia and evaluate the effectiveness of methods of punishment in the judicial system for shaping human behaviour.
Examples of learning activities
Detailed example
Investigation into factors that lead people to commit crimes
In small groups, use
Austlii to access court decisions (selected in advance by the teacher) from the County Court of Victoria – one per group. Criminal cases will be listed as ‘DPP v Name [year]’.
Students record:
- the crime(s) committed
- the type of crime
- factors that led to committing the crime
- sentence and comments relating to the aims of the sentence.
As a class, either on a whiteboard or electronically, tally the recorded findings.
Summarise the findings.
Analyse the data collected to determine any common factors that led to committing crime and, using sociological imagination, brainstorm what could be done to reduce the impact of those factors on society.
Unit 3
Outcome 1
Analyse the impacts of historical suppression and evaluate the increasing public awareness of Australian Indigenous cultures.
Examples of learning activities
Detailed example
Practical and symbolic reconciliation – individual reflection and further action
A. Individual reflection
Students undertake an individual reflection on what they have learned from their investigations into specific examples of practical and symbolic reconciliation in Australia.
They complete one action that engages in reconciliation based on their learning from Unit 3 Area of Study 1.
Key knowledge:
- the process of reconciliation through symbolic and practical reconciliation
Key skill:
- analyse the process of reconciliation.
Instructions to students:
Analyse the process of reconciliation by completing an individual self-reflection on the importance, impact and outcomes of reconciliation in Australia.
This should include both positive and negative aspects of this process.
Reflect on what actions you could take in your own lives to support reconciliation efforts.
The reflection should answer the following questions:
- What did you learn about the history and current state of reconciliation in Australia?
- What actions can individuals take to support reconciliation efforts?
- How can all Australians promote understanding and respect between all Australians?
- What do you think are the biggest challenges to achieving reconciliation in Australia, and how can we overcome them?
B. Further action
Complete one of the following tasks:
- Create posters, infographics or other visual aids to help promote awareness and understanding of reconciliation in your school or community.
- Write a letter to local, state or federal politicians advocating for greater action towards reconciliation in Australia. This could include:
- First Nations input and perspective on reconciliation
- Laws and policies aimed at protecting Australian Indigenous cultures
- Public holidays honouring First Nations Peoples and Australian Indigenous cultures.
Outcome 2
Analyse experiences of ethnicity within Australian society.
Examples of learning activities
Detailed example
Exploring Australia’s ethnic diversity compared to other countries through research questions
Using the questions below, students individually research one of the following countries to make a comparison with ethnic diversity with Australia.
- Greece
- Switzerland
- Singapore
- Israel
- Korea
- Egypt
- China
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Canada
- Colombia
- United States of America
- United Kingdom
- France
- Mexico
Answer the following research questions:
- What proportion of the population were born in that country?
- What proportion of the population were born overseas?
- What proportion of the population have at least one parent born overseas?
- What is / are the official language(s) of the country?
Make a comparison between Australia’s ethnic diversity and the ethnic diversity of the chosen country, using statistics.
Suggested sources:
Provide evidence and acknowledge sources.
Unit 4
Outcome 1
Analyse the experience of community generally and analyse and evaluate a specific community.
Examples of learning activities
Detailed example
Create a digital case study of a specific community in Australia or another country
Checklist for topic approval
Does the community meet the criteria?
- Can students apply the sociological definition of community to the group?
- Are students able to connect with the community?
- Does it use ICT?
- Has the community been impacted by political, economic or social changes and geographical characteristics?
- Are there varying perspectives or conflicts within the community? (For example: feelings of exclusion / inclusion)
- Do community members meet face to face as well as through online platforms?
Task
Students complete the following information.
Name of Community:
Nature of the group:
- reasons this group can be classified as a community
- geographic closeness
- regular contact
- mutual interests and / or shared ideology
- where the community is located
- who the members of the group are
How the community uses ICT:
What impact ICT has had on the community:
- What are the positives and negatives of the use of ICT for the community?
- In what ways have ICT impacted the experience of community for members?
Factors that may have influenced feelings of belonging for community members:
Table recording the influence on feelings of belonging including the specific factors:
| | Positive impact on experience | Negative impact on experience |
|---|
Political factors | | |
Economic factors | | |
Social factors | | |
Geographical characteristics | | |
Does everyone in the community share the same perspective about their experiences? Is there any conflict?
- Provide at least two perspectives from members of the community. Provide quotes that could be used to support the research.
How did you follow ethical methodology when you obtained information about this community?
- voluntary participation
- informed consent
- privacy and the confidentiality of data
Outcome 2
Analyse the nature and purpose of social movements and evaluate their influence on social change.
Examples of learning activities
- Create a glossary of key terms and definitions, such as types of social movements, stages of social movements, types of power, social change and civil disobedience.
- Construct a matrix (as indicated below) comparing and contrasting the different types of power.
Label the matrix: who has changed (top), how much social change (side)
Include who is changed and how much change occurs in that type of movement. - View
Erica Chenoweth’s Ted Talk on non-violent civil resistance. In small groups, create a visual presentation on an example of a social movement that has used nonviolent forms of civil disobedience to achieve social change.
-
Investigate different forms of power, such as reward, coercive, referent, legitimate, expert and informational power.
- Consider an overview of a range of types of social movements (alternative, reformative, redemptive, revolutionary). Identify each movement according to type, considering how much change took place and who is changed.
- Create an annotated timeline of the Stop Barossa Gas (Tiwi Islands, Australia) Movement, indicating how it progressed through each stage of a social movement (emergence, coalescence, bureaucratisation). Useful sources:
- Consider reasons (e.g. success, failure, repression) that a social movement may go into decline. Create a poster with the allocated reason for decline and select a specific movement to focus on. Provide details of the stage of decline, the meaning of that specific reason for decline, and link the movement’s decline to this.
- View a documentary on the Stop Adani movement:
How Australians are Fighting Against Controversial Carmichael Coal Mine
While viewing, consider the following:
- the nature and purpose of the social movement
- how power is exercised by the social movement
- current stage of the social movement
- how power is used by the social movement’s opposition in an attempt to prevent it from achieving its desired social changes
- the influences of the social movement on social change with consideration given to the work of Erica Chenoweth.
Construct an infographic to represent your findings and then conduct a class discussion on the nature and purpose of the Stop Adani movement, with reference to examples from the documentary. - With reference to a specific social movement of choice, investigate its current stage plan and write an extended response discussing the interrelationship between the social movement’s nature, purpose and stage and its ability to generate or resist change.
Detailed example
Investigating different forms of power for a podcast / videocast
Students investigate how social movements and their oppositions use reward, coercive, referent, legitimate, expert and informational power to influence social change.
Instructions:
In small groups consider one form of power per group. Then create a podcast or videocast on their allocated form of power.
Include in the investigation:
- definition of the form of power
- overview a social movement that has used the form of power
- how the use of power by the social movements impacted social change
- what and / or who has changed as a result of use of power
Students also respond to the following:
- Can the movement’s use of power be linked to nonviolent forms of civil disobedience to achieve social change? Why / Why not?
- Who is the opposition to the social movement?
- How has the movement’s opposition responded to the example of power discussed above? Consider what form(s) of power the opposition has used to resist social change.
- Evaluate the social movement and its opposition’s influence on social change.